The Soul Extortioner
by IDanceWithTheDevil
Summary: AU MALEC. Magnus is supposed to be a Vampyre- a blood extorting demon. Alec is a servant- an inferior human. The Vampyre feels an unusual- and forbidden- connection to him. Love couldn't ever cross the species barrier- could it? (Rating will change to M later:
1. Vampyre

**Here is a new Malec fic that I have started. Let me know if you want me to continue.**

**Disclaimer: I own zilch.**

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_A deadly parasite has infected the human race, turning humans into Blood Extortion Demons known as Vampyres. The human race is almost extinct. The remainder are either in hiding, or are used as a food-supply for the superior race of Blood Demons. Love between the species is impossible._

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"Maggie! I've got a delicious little present for you!" Camille's harsh, sing-song voice came from outside in the foyer as loud, high-heeled footsteps made their way closer to the door of his study -Magnus Bane's study- where he sat, slouching in a large leather armchair in front of an ebony desk stacked with papers and letters from other Vampyre clans from around the world who apparently needed something from him on every day of the week.

The massive room that was the study was magnificent- well, it wasn't really a room as such. More like a grand hall, with a high ceiling patterned with red and gold swirls that weren't really visible in the dim light that radiated throughout the room. Wooden and golden statues of various things and people were placed around the room, reflecting the very little light that came from the large fire-place, which was the only source of light in the hall.

It was beautiful, much like the rest of the mansion, or castle, as some people put it. But it was not a magnificent as the being who owned it, who was now very bored of the place.

Camille burst through the double doors dramatically, her silvery-blond hair floating down past her bare shoulders. She wore a crimson red dress that tumbled down to the stone floor in waves of chiffon and claret silk. The dress was a striking contrast against her white, marble skin and pale grey eyes.

"Darling," she drawled, her coated-red lips pulled into a pout. "You've been up all day. Why don't you come with me-"

"Camille," Magnus stated, cutting off her drabble. "It is not _my_ fault that _you_ chose this place, and it is not my fault that every Vampyre on the planet wants to hold their gatherings here."

"So?" Camille moaned, her voice slightly seductive. She stalked over to the desk, planting herself elegantly on top of it, flaunting her bare legs to Magnus. "Just take a tiny bit of time off. For me? I got you a present..." She slid her long fingers along the polished desk, towards Magnus. She touched her smooth, sharpened fingernails to Magnus' cold, but not pale, skin. His skin was a rich caramel colour, even though he was supposed to be a Vampyre, which characteristically had a white complexion. He didn't look like most Vampyres, so he stood out whenever he went to gatherings. His slanted eyes were a golden amber colour, instead of the crimson red of the typical Vampyre.

In fact, Magnus was barely a Vamyre at all, as shown by his... habits. Every other known Extortion Demon lived on either blood, or sex (like an incubus). Magnus was very different, and rare, and desirable, and powerful. Not that he had tried the powerful part before... He had managed to keep his true identity secret using red contacts and dining on blood even when he hated and didn't need it.

"It is not my birthday Camille," he said, sighing, not particularly surprised by her proposition. "I don't need any presents. I need to reply to all these stupid letters..."

"Trust me, you'll love your present," she said certainly, sounding very proud of herself. "Well, present_s_. There are two of them."

I probably won't enjoy them, Magnus thought to himself. He hated it when it was his birthday and his mate, who currently was Camille, gave him an expensive or exotic slave to drain. His secret really frustrated him. It was so difficult to be normal all the time, but if he didn't, every Vampyre on the earth would be hunting him, desperate for his power to use as a weapon or something. "Alright, what is the present?" Magnus asked, sounding thoroughly bored.

"Finally!" Camille clapped her hands together, which was very out of character for her. She reached over to Magnus and grabbed his arm, tugging him out of the chair. "You will love this!"

"But _what is it_?"

"It's a surprise." She then turned her back, gesturing for Magnus to follow her, which he did, however reluctantly. He stood up, and walked with silent, shoeless footsteps. The sound he made was that of a shadow gliding through the air; silent.

He followed her through the mansion-castle-thing, which was as dimly lit as the study. Vampyres could see in the dark, due to their enhanced senses. As well as having perfect vision, normal Vampyres had enhanced smell, movement, hearing and touch. No mere human could put a stop to their invasion. They didn't really consider it an invasion either. More like upgrading the human race to something more... superior. There were barely any free humans left in the world. Most were either enslaved as blood-stock for the Vampyres or used as slaves to do their master's bidding.

Magnus was a High Vampyre noble, a status inherited from his father, but he didn't have a massive army of human slaves to do his bidding like the other nobles. He dismissed the idea of having servants, and therefore only kept a couple, which Camille would eventually grow bored of and then drain their life-blood.

In the way that Camille and other Vampyres survived on blood- live, fresh blood- Magnus lived on something very different: _Light_. He would feed on the live Light within a person or creature, or even from trees. Those lights were their Selves, or their souls as some romantics may put it, but Magnus certainly saw nothing romantic about living on people's Light.

As well as feeding on live Light, Magnus would also feed on the light of the Sun, or other stars, which he thought were the more 'humane' option. But it hurt, a burning pain when he fed on sunlight, unlike when he fed on live Light. That was possibly his only trait that made him even close to being a Vampyre, as Vampyres couldn't go into direct sunlight either without turning into a pile of black ash.

How he had ended up like this? The concept was very simple. His mother was human, infected with the Vampyre parasite- a bite from his father- and she gave birth to a half Vampyre, half human. But this Vampyre -Magnus- was born into direct sunlight. Normal Vampyre-lings would have dissolved into a pile of ash, but Magnus' human blood kept him alive, and the Light changed him into something much more deadly than a Blood Extortioner: a Soul Extortioner.

His skill went even further than that though. As well as feeding on light, he could control Light. He could hold it, and shape it, and transfer Light into other beings. That was why Soul Extortioners were so sought after. As well as taking Light from a body, they could give Light back. They could redeem a soul (something a Vampyre didn't have). They could take and give sanity. They could bring soulless beings to life...

But no, Magnus had never tried anything of the sought and hoped that he never would. He was (kind of) content with his daily torture of feeding on Sunlight and didn't need to use his soul-transferring talents. He would not let his nature get the better of him.

Camille lead them to the top of some very steep, dark, stone stairs that ended up in the cellar of the castle where they kept the servants. Magnus couldn't help but admire the grace of Camille's light, high-heeled footsteps that seemed very stable whilst going down the steps. Most humans would fall down them. Magnus had seen it many times before.

At the bottom of the steps, Camille stopped and pulled out a large iron loop which had five rusty keys dangling off it. She inserted one into the lock on the worn, wooden door ahead, and pushed the heavy door open with ease.

"These," she stated. "Were the most expensive in the whole market, from New York. Apparently, their blood tastes like that of an Angel's."

Before entering the dark gloomy cellar, Magnus said, arching a single eyebrow at his mate,"And you'd know what an Angels blood would taste like?"

She shrugged, an elegant shrug at that. "No, I suppose I haven't." Then she turned back to him, a wicked grin playing across her features. "But I will soon."

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Shh, it's ok Izzy. It'll be ok..." Alec knew he was lying. Izzy knew he was lying, but neither of them acknowledged it. He held his dear sister tight in his slightly trembling arms, whispering hopeful nonsense into her hair, which had been washed and brushed earlier that day by the sly Vampyres at the slave-market. Both Alec and Izzy had been scrubbed raw and groomed by the slave-trader, who would do anything to gain a high price for his 'work'. And of course, they did fetch a high price, much to the slave-trader's glee.

Izzy had been forced into some slutty black dress for their time on the market, and Alec had to stand there topless. He tried his best not to punch the Vampyres who came up to him, ooh-ing and ahh-ing at his 'juicey abs'. But even if he did punch them, it would hurt him more than it would hurt them. And they would probably drain him right there, due to the Vampyre's short temper, taking him away from Izzy. He could never do that. He would never leave Izzy in that cruel world. He swore to himself, and to his sister, that he wouldn't.

She lay there in his arms, trembling and sniveling, which was very unlike the strong, brave Izzy that Alec knew. They had been bought by a Vampyre known as Belcourt (_her last name_, Alec assumed). She must have had a high rank in Vampyre society, seeing as each soulless monster in the hall that day was silenced by her footsteps alone. Alec hated her from moment he first laid his eyes on her, more-so than he did other Vampyres. This one had a wicked smile, and ill-favoured look that promised a Hell worse than Earth itself.

It was only a matter of time, Alec knew, before the Vampyress would be back to take them to their deaths, or en-slavement, or whatever pointless entertainment that was in store. As her footsteps returned, clicking down the stone steps to the dark, dank cell where he and Izzy were being held, Izzy's crying was silenced. It seemed that there was still a little pride remaining within her. She pulled away from Alec, and stood up. He arose too, and they stood side-by-side as the door was unlocked, their pulses hammering throughout their bodies, their limbs quivering with fear. He could hear voices from the other side of the door, and it opened, letting in a little more light. Enough to cast a shadow.

The Vampyress entered, followed by another tall figure. Probably her Vampyre mate, Alec thought to himself. Great, there are two of them. Alec couldn't see the other figures features through the heavy gloom, but he could tell that it was tall. It didn't make a single sound as it walked through the door, so Alec assumed that it was a Vampyre as well.

"Camille," the other Vampyre said in a silken, masculine voice. The voice was husky but smooth, like petals and honey and smoke. "I don't see why I need a present."

"You've been working so hard lately, and its been a while since we've had a nice dinner together." The female Vampyre, Camille, sounded a little whiny, which made Alec laugh internally, and then nerves shot through him at the mention of the word 'dinner'. He felt Izzy tense beside him.

"I'm not thirsty. I had a bottle earlier," the male said smoothly. Alec could tell that he was lying even though Vampyres were very good at lying. Camille believed him though.

"Without me?" Camille suddenly screeched, her voice scraping through her throat, echoing painfully around the cell. "Magnus Bane, if you drank that eighteen thousand pound-"

"Don't worry," Magnus reassured her. "It was only an old one."

"Old blood is bad for you." She sighed, which was strange as Vampyres didn't need to breath. "And these two are so pretty! I can't believe I have to wait to drink them..." she grumbled.

"They are beautiful indeed Camille. And thank you." He sounded tired. Tired of Camille. "But I think we should wait for a time more... suitable." _Thank God Magnus didn't want to drain us now_, Alec thought. However, that did mean a longer wait for death, which could potentially be worse.

"Besides," the husky voice started again. "As you say, these are very pretty-"

_Well thanks Mr Vampyre guy._

"-And it would be such a shame to waste them already."

Camille considered or in a thoughtful silence. "Mm, I suppose we could show them off at the Gathering..."

"And use them as servants-"

"I know!" She suddenly exclaimed. "We could use them as entertainment for our guests!"

_Entertainment? That does not sound good..._

"Ragnor's mate recently died, so I bet he'd appreciate something to take out his anger on."

"That's not what I meant-" Magnus started.

"Right, I'm going to go and have a lovely drink, _on my own_. And _you _can find a way of making it up to me."

With an flourishing swish of her silver hair, she swiftly turned and disappeared up the stone steps. She was gone within a blink of the eye.

Magnus, however, stayed behind for a moment, staring at the brother and sister. Alec could only see his tall, elegant outline. He could tell by his posture that he was tired. Vampyres weren't supposed to get tired.

Then Magnus shook his head slightly, as if warding of a thought, and turned away, disappearing up the stairs after his mate.

Once the door was closed again, and the footsteps vanished, Alec and Izzy both collapsed against the wall and huddled close to each other. They tried to sleep, but the foul reek of the room and the bitter cold deprived them of sleep.

They lay there, wide awake until morning- well, it felt like morning. But I could have been mere hours in the windowless hope-less cell.

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**Reviews are very much welcome (positive and negative) and I'm also looking out for a beta. Please let me know if you fancy the job!**

Rexxx


	2. Bright Light

**Hello again! Here is the second installment of the Soul Extortioner. It's a little shorter than chapter one though...**

**Enjoy!**

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Magnus trembled slightly as he sat back down into the leather armchair, ready to answer more of the endless stream of letters arriving at his door. He was so... thirsty. He needed Light, and soon. It was almost midnight so the sun wouldn't be back for a few hours. He couldn't wait that long. The stars were darkened by the clouds, so he couldn't feed on them either. His eyes felt dry, his head ached, his entire body throbbed with a thirst for Light, all because of that human. That bright, shining human.

Because Magnus had the ability to feed on Light, he could also see it in others. It varied in brightness and colour and sometimes even pattern. Some Lights were dim and misty and grey. Others would flicker and dance like fire, lighting up the room. But no one else could see it, only Magnus. That is also how he knew that Vampyres were dead, or soulless. They had no Light.

The two humans in the cellar had both been a beautiful spectacle, with skin as pale as a Vampyre's that contrasted with raven-black hair. And the eyes, the deep blue eyes of the boy enticed the Soul Extortioner to the point of hypnotism. He couldn't get the dark, swirling blues out of his head. They seemed so sad, like they used to have life them but had been worn away by reality. And who could blame them. The world was far too cruel and ugly for someone as beautiful and as radiant as that. The boy's Light lit up the entire room.

His Light was bright- almost blinding- and beautiful. Magnus had never felt anything like it before in anyone. The aura was a pale blue colour that swirled around him and his sister protectively, but it obviously came from him. His sister aura was the same colour, but was more faded, more foggy and still. His shimmered throughout the miserable cell, beckoning Magnus towards it, and he was suddenly thirsty again. It took every ounce of self control that he owned to not pounce on the boy and drain every drop of Light out of him.

In some ways, Magnus regretted not draining him. Then he wouldn't be so thirsty now, and a Light like that would last him for days. However, Magnus was strangely intrigued by the boy; he wanted to know what the boy was like and how his aura was so bright and alive. He wanted to get to know him- but it was impossible. And Magnus couldn't focus on that now, he needed to feed.

Abruptly, he stood up, his hunger finally ruining his self-control. He ran across the study to one of the windows. He opened it and perched on the sill, peering down the side of the castle which was several stories high, at least thirty metres tall. Without thinking, Magnus sprung off the windowsill and down into the darkness. For a moment, his stomach jumped. Maybe, be thought. If I had a heart, it would be racing now, thrilling. But it wasn't. Even free-falling couldn't excite him. His lack of pulse prevented him from feeling nervous or rushed.

The fall was over in a split second and he crashed through the canopy of the pine-trees that surrounded the castle. They glowed with a dim Light, but even that spurred his hunger on. Magnus rushed to one of the trees nearest to him, an especially large one, and placed both hands onto the rough, moist bark and he began to drain it. As he absorbed the Light he felt it filling him up, agonizingly slowly. He felt his strength flow through his body and his trembling stopped. He scrunched his eyes shut, concentrating hard on the ecstatic feeling that was being emitted from the tree. Finally, his thirst subsided.

Magnus opened his eyes to find the tree shriveled and dry against his hands. He pulled away in disgust, wincing away from the Lightless tree. He wasn't disgusted by the tree as such, but more of what he had done to the tree. It wasn't like the tree had feelings, because it didn't. But Magnus had taken away its Light, it's soul. He had stolen something that wasn't his to take, but he needed Light either way.

Horrified at what he'd done countless times before (for three hundred years to be precise), Magnus slowly stepped away from the dead tree and made his way back through the pine-forest. His thirst had been taken care of, but that didn't make him any less tired and frustrated with his life. In some ways, he'd prefer to live on blood than souls. At least having your blood removed did't change who you were. Having your Light removed... your Light _is _who you were.

The sun was peeking out from behind the horizon, spilling an orange glow into the sky when Magnus had reached the impenetrable wall of the castle. He placed both hands on the stone to lift himself up, and he used his hands and feet to crawl up the side in an effortless, lizard-like fashion. He reached the top to find the window open and waiting for him, as well as the slave boy Camille had bought him.

"What do you think you are doing?" Magnus demanded as he lifted himself through the window. The boy was standing by the fire-place and seemed to be studying a marble statue of a gargoyle that perched on the mantelpiece. His hair was kind of short, but long enough to reach his eyes, as if he was trying to conceal them, but Magnus could still see the soft but steely blue from beneath the long eyelashes. He had sharp cheek-bones and a stubborn jaw line, all covered by pale skin. He could pass off as a Vampyre, if he didn't have a pulse, or an intoxicating smell. Or such a blinding Light.

The boy spun round to face me immediately and he stepped away from the fire-place. Camille had given him a grey shirt that hung loosely over his frame which was muscular, but he still looked like he hadn't eaten for days. _Maybe he hadn't_, Magnus wondered. "I-I... sorry I-" The boy so endearingly stammered.

"Why are you here?" Magnus asked in a softer voice. He moved over to the leather chair and placed himself on top of one of the arms. The Light the boy emitted was as delicious as it was yesterday... Magnus was suddenly glad that he had fed just a few hours ago, otherwise he'd have a lot to explain to Camille, though he didn't actually know what would happen to the slave if he did remove his Light. His reaction would probably be similar to that of the tree.

"Miss B-Belcourt told me to l-look for you to see it you needed any help," he stammered, his head bowed and his voice small.

"Did she now," Magnus mused. The boy nodded. "What's your name?"

The boy looked at Magnus, a curious glint in his cautious eyes. "I'm number seven hndred-"

Magnus sighed deeply. "I do not like repeating my self-" _pretty human with a Light that is much to bright to be healthy _"- but I will ask once more. What is your name? Your real name. Not the number."

He stared at Magnus, his mouth hanging open slightly.

Magnus chuckled. "Can't remember your name?"

"N-no, it's just..."

"Just what?" This boy certainly did amuse the Vampyre.

"Your kind don't usually, like, _care _about our names."

"Who ever said that I cared?" _Even though I do._

"Oh, sorry. Err... my name's Alec. Alec Lightwood," he mumbled. "And my sister- who's with Camille right now- is Isabelle Lightwood.

"Alec... Short for Alexander, right?" Alec nodded. _Alexander, _Magnus thought, satisfied by the name. "Well, _Alexander,_" he purred, "I do have something I'd like you to do."

"What do you want me to do for you? Er... Master?"

"Oh, God, do _not _call me that. My name is Magnus Bane."

"OK, Mr Bane."

"Just call me Magnus," he ordered, then paused. "Are you hungry?"

"Huh?" Alec grunted.

"Sorry, of course you are hungry," Magnus said. "Now, go away and find something to eat. There's bound to be some stale bread from the last time we had servants."

"I'm not hungry-" Alec protested.

"You obviously are," Magnus stated. "Go away and find some food." He waved his hand at Alec, dismissing him.

Alec obeyed, and moved to the double-doors. He was about to push them open and leave, but he turned around to face Magnus and asked: "What happened to the previous servants?"

_Camille grew bored with them and drained them of so much blood that they died. _"They, err, died of old age." Alexander really din't need to know the true fate of them. Magnus didn't want him to be even more scared of him than he was already.

Alec simply looked away, and left, leaving Magnus staring after him, thinking _oh how I wish you were a Vampyre. I wish we didn't have to meet in this way-_

Magnus quickly stopped that thought. What was he getting himself into? He hadn't reacted this way to anyone since... Well, _ever. _And Alec was human as well. But then again, Magnus wasn't technically a Vampyre either.

_Even without the social rules of mot crossing the species barrier, Alexander still couldn't be friends with me,_ Magnus thought glumly. He would still be scared of the Vampyre. And if he found out about Magnus' true power... Alec wouldn't even be able to look at him without seeing the destructive potential that he had.

_Maybe_, Magnus thought. _It would be better this was after all._

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**And again, if anyone fancies being my beta for this story, don't hesitate to PM me!**

**R&R**

Rexxx


	3. Apples, Eyes and Mishaps

**Thank you for the reviews! I really appreciate it.**

**This was Beta-ed by the wonderful AngelWithASeraphBlade.**

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Alec stumbled out of the study, slightly baffled - well, a lot more than slightly - at what he had just witnessed. He had just heard a Vampyre, a member of the species that Alec hated more than anything, tell him to go and eat something rather than retrieving blood for them or even being the meal. Magnus Bane actually told him to go and do something that wouldn't affect the Vampyre in the slightest.

However, as Alec made his way through the vast corridors of the castle to find his way to the kitchen he had second thoughts on why Magnus had wanted him to eat. _Does blood that comes from hungry people taste worse than from healthy people?_ Alec wondered. Magnus may just want to drain him once he looks healthier.

With that sickening and horrifying thought, Alec felt his hunger vanish. He definitely would not eat if that was the outcome; so, instead of finding his way to the kitchen as Magnus had suggested Alec simply wondered around the castle, trying to open every door in vain to see if there was an escape route. Not surprisingly, there was not an easy way out. In fact, all of the doors were locked. All but one.

He had found a strange room with a ceiling made of glass. Sunlight spilled into the room, bouncing off of the polished marble walls and stone floor. _Weird_, Alec thought. _Vampyres can't go into direct sunlight without diminishing into a pile of ash. Why would they have a room in the castle that is completely full of light?_

The day was just getting stranger and stranger. With a room full of deadly light (deadly to Vampyres anyway) and the master of the castle not being the selfish bastard that every other Vampyre was, this experience was turning out to be very different than what Alec had expected. Apart from Camille, who really was the typical Vampyre that Alec had come to recognise.

He exited the sunlight room and came face to face with Magnus, who seemed mildly amused rather than angry. His hair was ruffled and natural, but brushed upwards in several directions. His eyes had a sleepy Asian lilt to them, and were lined with charcoal eyeliner, and- was that glitter? Alec thought. He hadn't noticed it before, probably because he was kind of terrified of Magnus and hadn't known what to expect.

The night before that, Alec had gathered the fact that Magnus was not the typical Vampyre as he hadn't wanted to drain them right away. He was right, Magnus was not normal, but he was far more abnormal (for a Vampyre) than he could possibly have guessed. Vampyres had an incredibly short temper and were very violent by nature. Magnus wasn't any of these. But that didn't mean that he was any less frightening. His eyes burned a flaming red, which didn't really suit him in a weird way. His flawless skin, although bloodless and cold, was a rich caramel colour.

Magnus now wore a silk dressing gown, patterned with swirling silver and green dragons. It was tied at the waist and fell down to his shins, though the top half was open and showed his hairless muscled chest and firm abdominal muscles. Alec couldn't help but blush faintly at the display.

The intimidating Vampyre before him grinned, flashing his perfect, pearly-white teeth. "Lost, are we?"

"I-I was l-looking for the k-kitchen," Alec stammered, fiddling with his cuticles as he spoke.

"Really?" Magnus drawled. "'Cause the kitchen is actually on the other side of the castle, where the cells are." Magnus pulled out an impeccable red apple from behind his back, and tossed it up and down in front of the petrified boy. Alec felt his stomach grumble as Magnus did so. "Your memory can't be that bad."

"Sorry, I-"

"Some people may think that you were trying to escape. You were trying to find a way out." Magnus kept tossing the apple teasingly. "But I'm not some people. So I am going to be a nice person and ignore the evidence." He walked up close to Alec, towering over him. Alec stumbled backwards, falling against the wall. He could feel the Vampyre's breath on his face, which was sweet and did not smell of rot and blood. "Don't bother trying to escape darling," he whispered. "There is really no point."

Magnus stepped away, still throwing the apple up in the air and catching it with an eerie grace. Alec's mouth watered at the sight of the delicious looking food. "You are in Transylvania, my dear Alexander," Magnus continued in a louder voice. "Surrounded by miles and miles and miles of dense pine forests. Not human could survive longer than a week. The wolves would eat you." He spoke in an amused, calm voice. "It's winter now. It'll snow soon. You wouldn't last a day."

"I wasn't trying to-"

"Oh please," Magnus scoffed. "You were obviously trying to escape." He paused, and then said in a quiet and almost sad voice, "who could blame you."

He then walked away, his hips swaying slightly. As Magnus was about to turn the corner, he took a bite of the apple. "Don't tell Camille. She hates it when I eat human food."

_What. The. Fuck,_ Alec thought as Magnus disappeared around the corner. _Did he just take a bite of an apple? Did he just eat human food?_ He was as confused as ever. This was not natural. Was this a trap? Was his lack of anger and violence just his way to lure Alec to a painful death?

Alec was scared, even more terrified than he was of other Vampyres. At least he knew what to expect with them. With Magnus, he had no idea.

Slouching against the wall behind him, he let out the breath that he hadn't realised he had been holding in. A pang of longing shot through his heart. He missed his home. Although the rebel alliance that he had been sheltered by was strict on him, he didn't live in constant fear of the Vampyres. He felt safe. The rest of his family were safe.

He had no idea where his family and friends were now, apart from his sister Izzy. His mother, father and youngest brother Max hopefully hadn't met the same fate that he did. He often wondered if they missed him at all. He knew that Jace his best friend did. They were like brothers, though opposite in almost every way. Alec missed him most of all. His fearless bravery (stupidity), his insightful opinions (endless chatter), his firm loyalty (stubbornness).

The reason that he and Izzy had been captured by the Vampyres was a mistake. A very unfortunate mistake. A fatal one. It all happened one night, while he and Izzy were out on a night patrol. There had been a communication mishap and they were suddenly surrounded by Vampyres. It was in the black of night, so all they could see were the luminous red eyes of the bloodthirsty monsters that surrounded Alec and Izzy.

That was as far as he could remember. The next thing he knew, he was chained up in the back of a van on the way to a slave-market. On the way to the market he kept reassuring Izzy that someone would rescue them, but he was really reassuring himself. They would never abandon us, he had thought. Maybe they just lost us. Maybe something has happened to them. Alec knew he was just kidding himself. He and his sister didn't matter to the rebel alliance, they were merely soldiers, and soldiers died every day. Two teenagers wouldn't make the slightest bit of difference.

Alec sank to his knees on the stone cold floor and rested his forehead on his palms and stared at the tiles beneath him. I'm never going home, he suddenly realised. No one was coming to rescue him. No one would notice. He took in a shaky breath, and let out a rueful sob that caused him to shudder violently. He felt tears swell up behind him eyes, but he didn't allow them to fall. No, he would not let himself be weak in this place. For a moment, he considered killing himself, but there would not be any guns or knives in the castle. Vampyres needed neither of those weapons. I could hang myself, he thought. But then his thoughts drifted back to Izzy. He could not leave her, he would not.

_Count to five, Alexander,_ he told himself. _Five more moments of weakness. No more._

_Five._ The accusing, hungry stares of the Vampyres at the slave-market. The cruel, wicked smirk that Camille constantly wore.

_Four_. His family, fine without him.

_Three_. His impending and fast-approaching death. Izzy's whimpers and pointless mourning.

_Two_. Jace...

_One. _Magnus' bewitching grin-

Alec immediately stood up, his tears gone and in their place a ruthless tolerance that would allow him to carry on without showing weakness in any form. He still had his pride, and his life, and he would live out his last days as days to be proud of.

He would not let the Vampyres own him.

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**So that was a little insight into Alec's past. The action and development of this story will come soon.**

Rexxx


	4. Survival Isn't Living

**I'm back! I haven't updated in a while as I've been on this residential music course for a long time, WITHOUT WIFI. It was hell...**

**This was beta-ed by the amazing AngelWithASeraphBlade**

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The Vampyre could literally smell the surprise and confusement that Alec emitted as Magnus ate the apple. He chuckled to himself and made his way back to the study to continue the work that desperately needed finishing. He had only eaten the apple to tease Alexander, an attempt at teaching him to trust the Vampyre. The apple didn't actually do anything for Magnus. The Light was already half gone, and it didn't taste as good as it looked, but he hoped that it had taught Alec a lesson. And hopefully Alec wouldn't try to find a way out again.

The fact that the human had tried to find a way to escape saddened Magnus. He wasn't surprised. Of course he'd want to escape, he told himself. You're a fucking Vampyre (kind of), and he's human (and a cute one at that). He'll always feel trapped when owned by a Vampyre. Magnus cringed at the word 'owned'. The idea of owning Alexander was one he didn't like. A Light like his deserved to be free, as cheesy as that may sound, not caged in a castle.

Maybe I could set him free, Magnus thought. But then, much to his own surprise, he didn't want Alexander to go. Or his sister. His own selfishness contradicted his weakness (and perhaps sentiment?) towards Alexander. With his mind's eye he conjured up the image of himself and Alec, somewhere bright and homely, unlike the dark, threatening places that most Vampyres dwelled in. They were laughing and smiling. Everything seemed so mundane and normal, but peaceful and hopeful-

Dammit, Magnus cursed to himself. Day-dreaming about being a human sickened him. Well, almost sickened him. He couldn't avoid the pang of longing that shot through his chest as he imagined being normal. Not just being human, but even being a normal Vampyre as well, belonging somewhere and not having to hide himself away from pretty much everybody.

But that wasn't going to happen. There was no way to be a normal Vampyre again. He would never be free to be himself in front of anyone. Magnus was trapped- until death itself.

Then suddenly it struck him; maybe the reason why he was so fascinated by humans- Alexander in particular- was because he was jealous. Jealous of their freedom (even if it is short lived), envious of their stubborn fearlessness and the hope they managed to obtain even in the darkest of times. For a reason that Magnus did not know, he wanted the human race to survive. Ironically, life would be boring without their normal-ness.

* * *

_Three days later_:

Life for the human servants (and undeath for the Vampyres) had been normal for the past few days. Too normal. Alec had been expecting something more... abnormal. Drinking blood of course was not normal, but he noticed that his masters, Camille and Magnus, drank blood in a very normal manner. Most nights they would sit together on the soft couches in the large living room and drink blood that was contained in a bottle. Like wine. Just like drinking wine every night. Normal. Although Camille constantly asked (more like begged) Magnus for some 'live blood' to drink, and Alec couldn't help but leave the room as soon as the Vampyres began that topic. Thankfully, and slightly suspiciously, Magnus kept insisting on keeping Alec and Izzy. He was almost the complete opposite to his mate, so much so that Alec wondered how and why they were even interested on each other. Not that Alec cared or anything...

In fact, Magnus was becoming suspiciously unlike any other Vampyre Alec had ever had the misfortune of meeting. First, there was his relaxed attitude to feeding (on blood, that is). He didn't guzzle the blood down as Camille did, which was one of her least attractive aspects. Secondly, he was completely and utterly uninterested in feeding on Alec. The pupils at the centre of his unnaturally red eyes didn't dilate massively, which normally happened when Vampyres were within a fifty meter diameter of fresh blood, hungry or not.

Then something changed in Magnus, all of a sudden, and Camille didn't seem to notice. Or maybe she did, and just didn't comment. Either way, it was as if something had clicked within Magnus' mind, as if a realisation had just struck him. Magnus seemed more jumpy and sudden, jolting between moods at an unpredictable pace. One moment he'd be quiet and solitary, sulking in one corner, then he would abruptly change to either an over-caring mood, or set off an angry fire of a temper. He would never take it out on someone else, and definitely not the humans. Not even Camille. He would often take it out on the statues, or a wall.

From then on, Alec decided to avoid Magnus. Camille would usually have something for him to do, like house work - there seemed to be an infinite amount of the stuff.

The day that had Magnus changed, he and Alec hadn't conversed or communicated at all. Not a word was passed between had both avoided eye contact, and when they did glance at each other, both of them had looked away awkwardly. Until night fell...

"Maggie!" Camille called to him from her own chambers as he rested, with his head on the desk, in his study. "I'm going into the city."

"What for?" he called back, his voice muffled by his own arm, which he was resting on.

"I want more clothes," she demanded. "You can come. You usually like shopping."

"I can't be bothered," he grumbled sulkily.

"What do you mean you can't be bothered?" she yelled, appalled. "One moment ago you were perfectly content with what you were doing."

"People change," he stated.

"Yeah, but I know you. You wouldn't miss out on something like this-"

"I've got all these fucking Vampyres breathing down my neck, expecting me to provide bloody money for... everything, basically. And now I have you wanting to go shopping. Can't you go by yourself?"

"We don't breath, Magnus." Camille totally ignored the question. "What about that gathering I thought you were arranging?" she asked, admiring herself in the mirror that hung over her dressing table that was littered with many pots of makeup.

"I'm doing that as well," Magnus said, half yelling, half growling. "Why can't they just use their own bloody money?" Magnus asked himself.

"Well, I'm going. Now. Goodbye my love."

Magnus snorted at that. "Love indeed," he said to himself. "If her love was Light, I'd starve on the dim fire she gives me." His voice wasn't loud enough for Camille to hear, but maybe if Magnus had been more careful then the nervous boy behind his door wouldn't have heard him think out-loud.

Alec was very much confused. He was just passing by the study, a bucket of dirty water in one hand, and a mop in the other. Cleaning the massive cellar where all the blood was kept was both exhausting and disgusting. The sickening stench of blood made him gag, and he had a hard time not throwing up on the floor which he had just cleaned.

The revolting stench of blood still lingered in the air, or it could have been the memory of it. Alec couldn't tell. As he had emerged from the cellar, he heard shouts. Not angry shouts, but not particularly happy ones either. The Vampyres of this house did have a tendency to talk/yell to each other while in opposite ends of the castle. 'For beings that have superhuman speed,' Alec thought, 'they are very lazy.'

Camille had left the castle, taking Izzy, and leaving Alec with Magnus. Alone. Though it wasn't being alone with the Vampyre that made him feel nervous, it was the thought of Izzy being alone with Camille. He didn't have the option of saying goodbye, and he feared that she would not return alive, or in one piece. Though Camille had asked Magnus to come with her, so she wouldn't have been planning on draining her beforehand...

The grumpy, sulking voice of Magnus pulled Alec out of his worried thoughts. 'If her love was Light, I'd starve on the dim fire she gives me.' The words echoed in Alec's mind, and he eventually came to the conclusion that Magnus was mad. And maybe a little bipolar. He ran from the door, silently praying that Magnus hadn't heard his footsteps. Getting in the way of the Vampyre's unstable personality was close to being one of the last things that Alec wanted to experience at that point in time.

As he ran through the corridor with the dirty water splashing out of the bucket, something caught Alec's eye: a door with light squeezing out from underneath it, much like the one Alec had seen the other day. Curious, he put the bucket and mop down on the stone floor, and pushed the door open. The door was heavy to push open, but didn't creak. The room inside was simple, with white walls and the same stone floor that seemed to be everywhere else. But this room was far from empty. In the very centre stood a black grand-piano, basked in sunlight that shone through the window on the opposite wall.

'Why does he have a piano that he can't play?' Alec wondered. 'Maybe he wears a really thick coat when playing it.'

The piano had a black cover over it, coated with a visible layer of dust. The human boy walked over to it and lifted the cover, revealing a clean, polished instrument. There was a stool as well, which Alec pulled out from beneath the piano, and perched himself soundlessly on top of. Thankfully, the lid to the piano wasn't locked, and when it was lifted, the black and white ivory keys beneath it were flawless and in the best possible condition. It was certainly the best quality piano Alec had seen since- well, ever, he supposed.

Although the piano itself was immaculate, there was an old side to it. The instrument clearly had a history and had been played before, though not in a while.

Alec ran his fingers lightly over the keys, smiling at their smooth texture. This reminded him of the times when he was younger and he and Jace would play the piano together. The Alliance had found a piano in a dump nearby, and for some reason brought it back to the lair. It was badly out of tune, and two of the pedals had broken, but it made a piano-like sound at least. Over time, as he and Jace grew up, they gradually stopped playing the piano together. The blonde boy had had less and less spare time on his hands, with all the training and fighting; because he was especially good at fighting they made him work longer hours, perfecting him into a highly-skilled Vampyre killer.

The dark haired boy didn't stop playing the piano though, even if he did have slightly less time too, unlike Jace. Along with the piano, there was some old music sheets, and Alec taught himself every one of them, and played them over and over. Eventually, he became bored of those pieces and made up his own. It was never the same without Jace. Alec did enjoy the music, but it was always more enjoyable if it is shared. The listener is almost as crucial as the musician.

As Alec reflected back on his younger years, he felt the melody of one of his pieces flood back to him. It was probably the one he played the most, and was impossible to completely forget, even if he wanted to.

He arranged his hands over the keys in the shape of the first chord. He almost felt too scared to do it, wondering if Magnus would hear. 'No, he couldn't,' Alec reassured himself. 'He's too far away to hear anything.'

The chord rang out clear and precise, filling the room with its bright sound. He played the second chord, which was quieter and sadder than the first, before his right hand broke off into a delicate melody while the left hand played a rippling ostinato that fitted with the tune like waves beneath a ship, supporting it but clashing slightly as well, giving the piece an eerie, mysterious feel. The sustaining pedal blurred the notes together, creating a hazy effect.

As the musician continued the piece, he wracked his brain too remember the title which he had once given the it; but only the music had stayed with him. He had written it, so that would explain how his fingers still remembered it.

Suddenly, he heard the door to the room shut and he spun round to face it, startled. Magnus stood there, his expression neither angry or pleased. The expression that he wore seemed at first glance platonic and cold, but Alec could see something sparkle in his eyes. It was either hurt or... longing? The human couldn't tell.

"Umm..." Alec started, snatching his hands away from the piano keys. "S-sorry, I'll go-"

He stood up to leave, but Magnus stopped him. "No, carry on," he commanded.

The Vampyre didn't seem angry to Alec, but when he advanced to the piano, leaning on it, the human's pulse accelerated significantly, hammering in his chest as if it wanted to break out and fly away. Then Alec realised that Magnus couldn't touch him as he was sitting in direct sunlight. 'But he may be waiting for it to go behind a cloud,' a little voice whispered in his head. 'He's just waiting for the right time to strike-'

"Oh just play, will you," Magnus said, sighing. "I'm not gonna drain you."

And with that, Alec resumed his playing, picking up from where he had left off. Though his fingers shook from his nervousness, he didn't make a single mistake or slip. He was so glad that his fingers could remember the entire piece, and wondered what would happen if they didn't.

Alec's fingers danced across the black and white ivory, constantly changing direction and shape. The phrases within the music rose and fell like calm waves, crescendo-ing to a climax, and gradually falling back down to the calmness of the beginning.

Magnus was in a trance, hypnotized by the delicate but strong fingers that created the surreal, rich sound from the piano. The instrument had belonged to Magnus's human mother, and he had brought it to the castle when he first moved in. He didn't play the piano, he didn't feel that he deserved it. That was why he had put it in a room with a window, to prevent himself from tainting the perfect instrument. He could survive the sunlight, but the pain would probably knock him out if he fed on the Light for too long.

The music was beautiful. So beautiful that he felt tears swell up behind his eyes, though he pushed them back down immediately. When he had first heard Alexander play the piano, he had been tempted to be angry. But then he had had second thoughts. His mother surely wouldn't have minded if such a beautiful piece, played by a beautiful boy, was to be created on her piano. She'd be thankful, wouldn't she?

One of Magnus's earliest childhood memories was of his mother playing this piano. He remembered how precise and careful she was with practicing the music, how she treated each note as if it were sacred. Alec did the same. Magnus couldn't help but wonder whether his mother would have liked Alexander. He was almost certain that she would have, especially with a musicality like his.

Once the piece finished, Magnus was still in a daze. He barely even recognised the fact that the music had stopped, as if the music still carried on through the silence. The Vampyre's eyes finally managed to tear themselves away from the piano keys, and back to Alexander. He was looking down at his hands, picking at the nails. His raven-black hair fell forwards, covering his eyes. It reflected the sunlight from above, making each stand shimmer a different shade of dark and light.

"I don't recognise that piece," the Vampyre eventually said. "Who's it composed by?"

Alec looked up, his recent blue orbs shining. "I-I made it up," he stammered, looking back to his hands.

'Wow,' Magnus thought, astonished. 'That boy has an amazing talent.'

"What's it called?" He asked.

"I can't remember."

"Can't remember?"

"Yeah, I wrote it a while ago, so I forgot the title."

"Can I name it then?" Asked Magnus with a grin that broke the sullen atmosphere.

"Err..." Alec looked reluctant, which made Magnus grin wider.

"How about... Me."

"Me?" Alec raised an eyebrow, but still remained shy. "As in you, or me...?"

"Me, as in you," Magnus confirmed. "Alexander Lightwood." He loved the way the human's name so easily rolled of his tongue.

"Me? W-why?"

"Because the piece is amazing, and so are you," the Vampyre said seriously, looking at Alec straight in the eye. "The music is beautiful, and so are you-" Alec blushed heavily, looking at everything in the room apart from Magnus, "-and the music is enchanting. So are you. Need I go on? The most would be quite extensive. I have memorized many adjectives during my three-hundred years..."

The human simply blushed and stared at the floor. "Why don't you look at me? Do you hate me?" Magnus pondered out-loud. "Am I really that scary?"

Alec's head immediately snapped up, his eyes meeting Magnus's red ones with a fiery blue. Magnus noticed that the aura that surrounded Alec changed as well, turning from a peaceful, swirling blue to a stormy, unsettled grey.

"What's that supposed to mean?" His voice was filled with a spikey anger that- if Magnus dared to admit it- turned him on.

"Well..." he started, wracking his mind for an explanation.

Alec stood up from the stool and took one step towards the taller man. He wasn't protected by the sunlight anymore, as if showing that he wasn't afraid of him. The human looked up at his master definitely.

"You have given me every reason to hate you, Magnus." He spat out the name like it was poison. "You bloody bought me and my sister from a bloody slave-market. You contemplate draining us while we are in the fucking room. Your kind has driven my kind close to extinction, forcing every free man to live in constant fear. And living in fear isn't freedom. You've managed to take that away as well." It was then Magnus's turn to fear the human. He wasn't afraid of the boy, but he was afraid of the words that he created. Afraid of the inevitable truth. "You've taken the lives of children, the elderly and the weak. You've taken the peace, the order, the life. We are now just as dead and heartless as you monsters. Surviving isn't living."

Every word stung like a paper-cut. A million bleeding paper-cuts. "And this is all MY fault? You blame me for the wrongs of my kind when my influence on their choices is zero? When my help to you humans would be as useful as a bottle of water is to a drowning person?" Magnus was now itching to tell Alec the truth. He wasn't a Vampyre. He didn't drink blood. He drank souls. 'Yeah, like that wouldn't make him hate you more,' he told himself, pushing away the idiotic idea.

"But you are one of them," Alec said, sighing. Then his voice dropped down to a whisper. "You've given me every reason to hate you. But I don't hate you." Magnus's hopes rose slightly at the words. "I may fear you, your potential, your power... but I can't hate you."

Magnus gave a little gasp at the words, even though he didn't need to breath. That was one of the only Vampyre traits that he has obtained.

"You lie and tell me this to amuse you. To amuse your sick humour... but I don't hate you."

"They weren't lies." Magnus wanted so badly for Alec to see that. To see himself through the eyes of the half-Vampyre.

"I'm not stupid," he replied, the blush of anger fading from his face.

"No, you're not," Magnus said softly.

The next thing that Magnus did frightened him and excited him, sending a flutter of adrenaline through his stomach. If he had a heart, he was sure that it would have sped up.

Without even thinking, Magnus's hand shot behind Alec's head and pulled the boy into him so that their noses touched. His eyes bore into Alec's blue, shocked ones. He was too shocked to resist Magnus, especially as the Vampyre pressed his lips against Alec's.

* * *

**Now we get down to the proper malec! Let me know how it was. Reviews make me feel better, and work faster!**

**Rexxx**


	5. For Alec

**This beta-ed by the wonderful AngelWithASeraphBlade. **

* * *

_Previously..._

_Without even thinking, Magnus's hand shot behind Alec's head and pulled the boy into him so that their noses touched. His eyes bore into Alec's blue, shocked ones. He was too shocked to resist Magnus, especially as the Vampyre pressed his lips against Alec's._

* * *

They stayed fixed in that position for a few seconds. Not even their lips moved, though Magnus could feel Alec's pulse throbbing hard against his skin. The shocked human's eyes were wide open, staring at the Vampyre with terror. Magnus was shocked at his actions too, but he responded to them in a strange way. His mind and ability to make decisions decided to go on a little holiday, leaving only Magnus's desire to kiss the human senseless. And talking of senseless...

The Vampyre's logic returned, along with realisation that he was kissing Alec without thinking. He tore away quickly, silently cursing himself for touching the human. He could have taken his Light. He could have fucking taken his soul. The thing that made Alec who he was. And it could've been gone simply because of Magnus's stupidity.

"Ah!" Magnus exclaimed. "Sorry, shouldn't have done that. Stupid, stupid-"

Alec was still in a state of shock, staring at Magnus, his eyes wide and confused. His mouth hung open slightly.

"Alec?" Magnus asked, his voice full of worry. "Are you ok?"

Alec finally broke out of his daze and stumbled away from Magnus, falling against the piano. His already pale skin seemed even whiter than before, especially when contrasted with his black shirt and ripped jeans. His feet were bare. Magnus couldn't help but wonder if Alec was cold - the half-Vampyre couldn't feel it.

"Alexander," Magnus repeated. "Are you ok? I'm sorry, that was out of line, I just..." He trailed off as Alec tried to stand without the piano assisting him.

"I feel dizzy," he wheezed, putting one hand to his forehead. His legs were about to give way, but Magnus lunged forward just in time. He grabbed him by the shoulders, this time more aware of his ability to extract Light from living beings. Alec's Light was grey and dim at that very moment. It hung in the air around him like a foggy mist. "No, let go of me!" he complained, but Magnus didn't. "I can stand on my own."

"No, you can't," Magnus stated sternly, picking Alec up bridal-style. The annoyed human blushed heavily, and tried to kick Magnus as a feeble attempt at making the strong man drop him, but he carried him through the door with ease. Alec gave a quiet whimper, almost too quiet for Magnus to hear, but enough for him to pause and look down at the boy in his arms.

"I'm not going to eat you," the Vampyre whispered against Alec's ear.

"Yes you are," he said, louder, but even he didn't sound convinced. Magnus raised his eyebrows with puzzlement. Alec continued. "Your breath doesn't taste like blood..."

Oh, Magnus thought. He must think that I'm hungry. Well, hungry for blood, that is.

"I brush my teeth," Magnus lied easily.

"But I still want you to put me down."

"But I don't want to explain your death to Camille." That, too, was a lie. He enjoyed the human's heart against his own dead-cold skin.

"I won't die if you leave me," he argued, still struggling to be free of the older man's grip.

"You might die. What if you have an illness that is fatal unless a handsome Vampyre is there to kiss it better?" Msgnus pointed out. "I don't see any other volunteers-"

"Don't kiss me again," Alec growled darkly. "That may be the cause of my illness."

It is, Magnus thought wearily. Had he begun the soul-extracting process during the kiss, but didn't finish it? That would explain the dizziness, not that Magnus would know. He had never given a soul back to a person.

"I may not be able to stop myself," Magnus answered simply. "Especially when you play the piano like a bloody Angel-"

"Then stop yourself," the boy said angrily, then he added, "please."

"Fine," Magnus agreed. "But I make no promises."

"Why?" Alec demanded, tilting his head up to look into Magnus' fake-red eyes.

"I don't make promises I can't keep. That's why I don't make promises at all."

"Camille," Alec warned. That simple word suddenly brought reality crashing down on Magnus's hopes and dreams.

"Oh."

"Yes, 'oh'."

The Vampyre started walking towards his chambers which he didn't visit a lot because he doesn't most of his time in the study.

"Where are you taking me?" the boy in his arms asked.

"To my bedroom," was the answer. Alec visibly stiffened. "Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything."

"What makes you think that I can trust you?"

Magnus sighed. "You can't. But I'm taking you there anyway. What are you gonna do 'bout it, huh?"

"I'll do... something bad."

"I'm sure you will," he said sarcastically. "And it won't be half as bad as any of the bad things that I have done."

Just as the words left his mouth, he regretted them. Now Alec would never trust him if he took those words the wrong way.

As they entered Magnus' chambers, Alec asked, "What bad things have you done? Besides the obvious." He was referring to drinking blood.

What bad things have I done, Magnus repeated in his mind. Ya know, the ever-so-common removing souls from people, animals, trees, the sun, stars... "Just bad stuff. Like taking drugs and torturing butterflies."

Alec snorted, only slightly amused. Magnus lowered him down onto the bed, careful not to hurt him in his weakened state. "Vampyres take drugs?"

"Yeah. Like heroin and cocaine... but purer versions because the weak stuff has very little effect."

"How about alcohol?"

"It's the same with that. It'll take a lot more alcohol to get a Vampyre drunk than a human."

Magnus let go of Alec, and stepped away before sitting down beside the human. The boy propped himself up on his shaky elbows to face Magnus, and was about to say something, but Magnus cut him off.

"Lie down," he ordered. "Do you feel better? Or do you need to sleep it off?"

"I'm fine," he grumbled, shifting up the bed to get as further away from Magnus as possible.

If Magnus had a heart, it would have sunk. Maybe Alec didn't like him back (oh he most definitely didn't). Maybe he had read the signs wrong (wrong would be an understatement). And maybe he wasn't actually gay.

Alec crossed his arms over his chest, causing the muscles to ripple, and Magnus to stare. "How did you know I was gay?"

Oh, so he had gotten something right. "I didn't. A shot in the dark. But a very good shot," he said with a smirk.

"But aren't you with Camille?"

Magnus gave a small laugh. "I'm not completely gay, Alexander. I prefer to think of myself as a free-wheeling bisexual."

Alec frowned and looked down at his bare feet, away from Magnus.

There was an awkward silence. "I still want to kiss you," Magnus said. More awkward silence. "Can I kiss you?"

"No."

"And why not?" the somewhat disappointed Vampyre asked.

"Because I am a human. You are a Vampyre. I am a servant. You are my master." Alec said all that whilst staring at his feet. He then looked up and said,"Oh, and I live in your basement."

"But, if I'm your master, then I can get you to do anything for me," he said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Then why are you asking for my permission?" Alec asked, puzzled.

"Because I like you, and I don't want you to hate me," he admitted, daringly looking at the boy straight in the eye.

"I've already said that I don't hate you," he replied.

"There's still time to make you hate me. Too much time."

"Well, I don't hate you now."

"But you don't like me."

The boy sighed. "Isn't anything good enough for you?"

"Yes. If you liked me that would be good enough. But you don't." Alec stayed silent. "Look, Alexander-"

"Don't call me that. Only my parents call me that."

"Ok then, Blue Eyes-"

"No silly nicknames."

"Fine, Al."

"I said no silly nicknames."

Magnus have a loud gasp and faked being offended. "How dare you insult that name! I had a goldfish with that name. It was a very handsome goldfish."

"Great," Alec said jokingly. "So you are nick-naming me after a fish. Do Vampyres actually keep pets?"

"No. Well, yeah. Human pets," he said thoughtfully.

"Hm, I should have guessed."

"Wait… what was I saying before you interrupted me?"

Alec shrugged an un-elegant shrug.

The Vampyre thought for a moment, then he remembered, "Oh yeah, as I was saying: I really like you, Alex- I mean, Alec." Magnus had no idea why he was telling the human this, but getting it off his chest seemed to already be calling him.

"And?"

"And what?"

The boy frowned. "What am I supposed to do about it? What are we supposed to do? I'm human-"

"And I'm a blood-extorting demon sent from Hell to devour the remaining goodness on Earth. Please, tell me something I don't know," Magnus said, bored with the old news of being an evil abomination. "But I don't see anyone else in this room who cares."

"I care," Alec said simply. "I don't want to betray my own race. They are everything to me. If I slept with the enemy, they'd never accept me."

"Wake up, Alec," Magnus snarled, spitting out the name. "No one is coming to rescue you. You are on your own. They left you." It saddened Magnus to see the innocent boy in pain because of what he already knew, but didn't accept.

"I know," he whispered, then gave a shocked sniff. His blue orbs turned glassy and shined with tears. "But I still won't betray them."

"I'm..." Not a real Vampyre, was what Magnus wanted to say, but knew he couldn't. What would Alec think? M would he be more scared? Horrified? Would he truly hate him?

And why was Magnus even planning on telling his darkest secrets to this human anyway? He had only known him for, what, a week? Five days? What was it about this fascinating boy that made the Half-Vampyre want to tell him everything?

"What?" Alec asked. Magnus hadn't realised that he had been starting directly at the boy as he lost himself in his own thoughts. He also noticed that Alec's aura had changed back into a healthy blue colour with a little more movement to it than before. The swirls changed direction suddenly, in a jumpy fashion as if he was nervous.

Almost absent-mindedly, his hand reached out to touch the glowing aura. It ripped as his fingers made contact with it, like an ethereal, translucent liquid. Well, not really a liquid, more like a heavy gas or mist.

Magnus smiled fondly at the sight of his hand amongst the blue swirls of Alec's Light, still careful not to absorb it. He wasn't hungry anyway. It had only been earlier that morning when he had his last helping of sunlight.

"What are you doing?" Alec asked. He sounded like he thought that Magnus was mad or something. The Half-Vampyre snatched his hand away, suddenly aware of how weird it may have looked. Alec raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, sorry," was the lame excuse that Magnus came up with.

Several loud bangs startled them, causing the Vampyre to jump off the bed. "That," Magnus stated, heading towards the exit of the bedroom, "would be the front door."

"Should I come with you?"

"Yes, but stay behind me just in case, 'cause I wasn't expecting anyone today, apart from Camille, but she shouldn't be back for quite a few more hours, knowing her shopping habits."

Magnus led Alec through the castle by the sleeve of his shirt, and it took a very long time to reach the front door. Meanwhile, whoever was at the door kept knocking, and as they came closer, they could hear a gruff, low voice.

"Bane! You'd better be in. I'm doing you a fucking favour. I don't even fucking know why, but you'll bloody owe me-"

"Ok, ok, I'm coming," Magnus yelled back, rolling his eyes to the ceiling as he did so.

The Half-Vampyre unlocked the door with the biggest iron key Alec had ever seen. He was more used to modern security, so codes and voice recognition. Now he felt like he had been transported back to the middle-ages. But a luxurious middle-ages as well.

The massive, wooden door creaked open, letting in a whoosh of cool, night air. On the doorstep stood a giant of a man (he was actually a Vampyre), taller than even Magnus. His hair was rugged and his stubble un-shaven. If he hadn't been dressed in what appeared to be a lacy tuxedo, then he could have passed as an animal. Even his eyebrows were massive and bushy. Red, beady Vampyre eyes glowed through the dark. The giant held something dark and limp in his arms.

"Aiden?" Magnus said, surprised. "I wasn't expecting a visit-"

"I'm not visiting," Aiden replied gruffly. "I'm merely delivering something of yours. Well, I think it's yours."

"What?" Magnus's eyes immediately feel down to the limp pile of rags in the giant's arms. He took a moment to recognise what it was. His mouth dropped open in disbelief, his eyes widening with horror. "Um, Alec?"

"Yeah?" came the voice from behind him. Thankfully, the boy couldn't see the delivery.

"Meet me in the study, ok? I have to deal with this." Magnus didn't turn round to face the boy, scared that he would read the situation in his face.

"Is everything ok?" Alec asked, sounding worried.

Magnus nodded, and Alec left. The Vampyre waited for the footsteps to disappear before turning back to Aiden.

"You got another human? Mind if I have some? I'm starving, an' this one smells weird."

Magnus ignored him. "Where did you get this? How did you know it was mine?"

"Saw ya mate with it." No, not 'it'. She.

"Camille?"

"She is still your mate, right?"

"Yes." But not for much longer. "What happened?"

"Dunno," he says with a heavy shrug. "Found this one on the streets behind some bins. Reeked of blood, as if she wanted to be found. I took her just in time. Carried her all the way up here." He sounded proud of himself. Magnus couldn't care less. All he could think about was Alec.

And Izzy, lying in a pool of crimson blood, eyes open in a lifetime stare, skin a colourless as a Vampyre's. Though her body was on Magnus's doorstep, her Light was somewhere else, on the threshold of the afterlife.

And Magnus was going to get it back. He had never done such a thing, but he would try. For Alec.

* * *

**Hello, I'm back! I've got nothing to say, apart from hope you enjoyed that. Reviews are most welcome. Comments usually make my day.**

Rexxx


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